


Cry of the Siren

by SKayLanphear



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Action, Angst, Bed-sharing, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Mental Health Issues, Mermaids, NSFW, Pirates, Romance, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-08-09 21:07:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20123851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SKayLanphear/pseuds/SKayLanphear
Summary: Marinette considers herself a different sort of pirate, what with her having morals and a just cause. While Adrien doesn't much fit into the expectations his people have of mermaids such as himself. Backed into a corner by an arranged marriage, he leaves his home behind to brave the open sea, only for a dire injury to leave him stranded on human shores. And so when Marinette finds him and hauls him aboard her ship, he finds himself trapped in a world far removed from his own.But perhaps the sea carried them together for a reason. Fate, after all, is never clear-cut, nor easily read.





	1. Chapter 1

"_Grandfather, when will mother and father be back?" Standing in the crooked doorway, the young girl frowned, her hands balled into fists around her dirtied skirts. Before her, a small man with salt and pepper hair and a finely-trimmed, pointed beard was observing a map, which was laid upon a thick, wooden table._

_Turning his attention to the girl, he smiled. It was a warm smile, if not somewhat restrained, and was invitation enough for the young girl to approach him._

_"They'll be back in due time, young Marinette," he assured, reaching out to her as he did. She took his hand when she met him, allowing him to pull her up into his lap. "Your mother is a very important woman and she has much to do."_

_"But what about Father?"_

_"Well, your father must help her."_

_Pooching her lips in a pout, Marinette twirled her finger inside the fastens upon her grandfather's jacket. "I would like to help too."_

_"And what help could you be?" he asked, smiling wider as he did. "You're only five years old."_

_"I'm seven!"_

_"Seven?! Why, I had no idea."_

_She cast him a rather flat look. "You're lying, grandfather."_

_"And why would I do that?"_

_"To distract me."_

_He chuckled. "You are still much too young to be of help to your mother."_

_"I can't understand why. I take care of you well enough."_

_He laughed again. "That you do."_

_Humming, she seemed to slump a bit in his hold, quite forlorn despite their cheery conversation._

_"What does Mother do, when she and Father leave?"_

_The grandfather seemed to contemplate the question for some moments, seriousness overtaking his countenance. And though there was a certain degree hesitation in the way he pursed his lips, he ultimately gave in despite whatever objections were raised inside his thoughts._

_Resituating Marinette upon his lap, he looked her in the eyes and was relieved to see the same steadiness in her expression that her mother had possessed at the same age._

_"She has gone out to find that which we have lost," he started. "Our family line is special, do you know that?" Reaching out, he took Marinette's hand and flipped it palm-up, so he could run a gentle finger along the visible veins of her wrist. "And our blood is the key."_

_"Our blood?"_

_"A long, long time ago, one of our ancestors came upon a magic jewel. And inside that jewel was the very power that created the entire world. But there was also a spirit, and that spirit was afraid of what would happen if her power fell into the wrong hands. Sensing that our ancestor was of pure heart and mind, she tied herself to her, and through her, all her children and their children's children. All the way down to us. And because this spirit was the most powerful of them all, other spirits soon gathered to her, granting power to our ancestors and any who they deemed worthy. But!" He held up a knowing finger. "Soon, other people started to hear about these powers, and they wanted it for themselves. Afraid of what would happen, our ancestor gathered all the spirits together, swearing to hide them away and protect them."_

_"A guardian," Marinette replied. "Like you. And Mother."_

_"Yes. But the jewels—the spirits—couldn't stay hidden forever, and some of them have been lost. By the time the magic box that hid them was passed down to me, only nine of the jewels remained. But they were some of the most powerful, and I knew that if I didn't keep them safe, they'd fall into the wrong hands. So your mother and I—when she was yet younger than you—took a boat all the way from China and around the world, to a place where we could live safely with the jewels._

_"But greed exists all over the world, though I tried to fight it. The jewels were stolen, and so now we must find them all, before someone uses them to do great evil."_

_"So Mother is looking for these jewels?"_

_"She is. She must."_

_"How does she know where to look?"_

_He smiled. "Because of our connection to the most powerful jewel. You can't feel it now, but when you're older, you'll learn how to sense that connection as well."_

_"I will?"_

_"Yes. As is your mother's responsibility, and as it is mine—and as it was all our ancestors before us—you must learn to use your abilities to find the jewels, to guard them, and to only use their power when wrongs must be righted and justice served."_

_"And then I'll be able to go with Mother and Father?"_

_He smiled. "Yes, I would certainly think so. It's in your blood, Marinette. You are a guardian, and so you must never rest—not until all the miraculouses have been found._

_"That, my child, is your destiny."_

Gasping, Marinette surged up in bed. Breathing heavily, she blinked against the thick weight yet lingering in the back of her head, the dream—or memory—seeming to shift away as swiftly as it had come. Yet, even as the exact images and words faded, the general purpose remained. Like a brand yet hot upon her flesh, she could feel the echoes of it all up and down her body. All the way down to her bones.

She would not be able to return to sleep, not this night. Blinking a few more times, she allowed her eyes to adjust to the darkness before she tossed her blanket aside and threw her legs over the edge of her bed. Clad in only her loose-fitting linen shirt, she toed forward to the table in the center of her quarters, retrieving the breeches hung over the back of a chair before slipping them on. Tucking her shirt clumsily inside the band, she barely bothered to tighten them before stuffing her feet in her worn leather boots and marching out the door.

Accustomed to the layout of the brig and the motion of the sea, she quickly made her way through the dark. Just down the main deck, before rounding the stairs and heading up into the chilly night.

Salty sea air assaulted her full force, but she was so accustomed to it after years at sea that she hardly registered the feeling. Ignoring how the wind tossed her hair about, she headed across the upper deck to the stairs that led up to the forecastle. Once there, she headed to the upper right side, to the thick, wooden banister lining the bow of the brig. Leaning out, she took a deep breath of the salty air and closed her eyes.

The feelings inspired by her dream yet lingered, but they were fading fast. So fast that she feared she would be unable to dissect them. But such a thing was not unheard of, despite it causing her some annoyance. Though she had worn the ladybug earrings for 'years now, her connection to the miraculouses as a whole waned in and out, much as the tide did.

It was her job to make the most of whatever she happened to sense, no matter the time of day or night.

"Captain?" The voice had her popping her eyes open again, turning her head over her shoulder. There stood Alya, her best friend and quartermaster of the brig. "Is everything alright?"

Turning back to the sea, Marinette pursed her lips. "Someone has come across a miraculous. Two, I think, based on the heaviness of my dreams."

Alya came up beside her, crossing her arms over her chest as she frowned. "Then someone has beat us to them."

"We didn't have any leads," Marinette said, doing her best to hide her bitterness. "It was only a matter of time."

"Perhaps they will become known to us, then," Alya reasoned. "Much as Luka did. The miraculouses are drawn to each other, are they not? To you?"

"Drawn in, yes, but to what end we can't know." Sighing, Marinette stepped back from the banister. "We will have to keep a keen eye out—there's no way of knowing whose hands these miraculouses have fallen into, or in what… manner… they may make themselves known to us."

"You think it could be that Hawkmoth has found them?"

Pursing her lips, Marinette turned her attention back to the sea. "Let us hope that is not the case, else we will find ourselves at a grave disadvantage."

One that could prove near impossible to overcome.

**oOo**

Adrien was bored. Which wasn't really new, per se, but it was certainly tiresome. He knew he had a responsibility—stay inside, primp his appearance, don't get hurt. All these things would guarantee an advantageous mating. He was lucky, after all, to be as blessed with such beauty, much as his mother had been. He'd create beautiful children, no doubt, and his privileged upbringing would make him a doting father and a quiet, obedient partner.

"Blah, blah, blah," Adrien muttered, slowly sinking down in front of his full-length mirror. His qualifications for being a good mate seemed to run continuously through his head these days, but not because he had any interest in thinking about them. Alas, everyone he knew seemed to be reminding him, excited about the fact that he'd reached mating age and would soon be leaving for a new home with his future wife.

He had to be careful not to let his tail get dingy, and keep his fins sparkling at all times. He should wear more jewelry, to draw attention to himself when he was out in public. The more notice he drew, the more potential mates he'd have interested in him at the ceremony.

"Maybe I don't want a mate," he muttered, looking his reflection up and down as he did.

Aside from being male, he did indeed look very much like his mother. Soft blonde hair, bright green eyes. He was stronger than she had been, despite everyone constantly chiding him for being active when he should have been prioritizing a thin, smooth physique. Yet, his father had never stopped him taking up physical activities, so long as he'd remained within their home when he'd practiced them. He had a few more muscles where most didn't as a result, which made him a little less "desirable."

His tail and fins more than made up for that, however. Long and of a vibrant green that matched his eyes, his tail was the longest of any other siren—or long-fin—his age, while his bright, yellow fins shimmered in much the same way golden jewelry did in the water. His tail fins were dual layered and fanned out generously when he bothered to go to the effort, as could the two sets of pelvic fins that flared around his hips _and_ the single set of fibular fins sprouting out beneath them. The bright yellow did fade to dark green at the very edges, but the dual color-scheme only made him "all the prettier."

Truth be told, however, Adrien didn't much care that he was considered the prettiest siren of his generation. Or that his quiet demeanor was one of the main personality traits people talked about.

He didn't hate that he was a siren, but he didn't enjoy it either. Sometimes—like that very evening—he'd find himself staring in the mirror, wanting nothing more than to reach down and rip his pelvic fins right off his body with his claws. Maybe shred his tail fins even. It'd be painful, sure, but if he was marred and scarred, no one would want him. He wouldn't have to worry about how dirty he got or how much jewelry he wore or if he had enough suitors. He could be like the plain sirens that married lower class merrows—short-fins. His mating ceremony wouldn't be a big deal and there wouldn't be any worry about offers being made because he'd be more worried about not having any.

As it was, he'd likely have too many, and he'd ultimately have to pick one of them.

"What are you groaning about now?" It was Plagg who asked. He was some kind of tiny, demon-like creature that claimed to be a "kwami." Adrien didn't know what a kwami was, but supposed they must all be small creatures with disproportionately large heads.

Plagg claimed that he resembled what humans called a "cat," but as Adrien had never seen a cat, he couldn't much relate.

The kwami had appeared from a ring Adrien had found, and that he now wore at all times.

"It's my mating ceremony tomorrow," he explained, sinking fully down onto the ground. Laying atop the cold stone, he twisted his tail around his body and glared side-ways at his own reflection.

"What's that?" Plagg asked, swimming up so he could stare directly down into Adrien's eyes. It was a regular thing, Plagg invading Adrien's space.

Not that he minded.

"I'm eighteen now," he said, turning so he could stare blankly up at the domed ceiling of his bedroom. "It means I'm old enough to be mated. And because my father is so highly regarded, it's important that I pick someone suited to my status."

"Doesn't sound so bad," Plagg decided. "I bet there'll be plenty of girls with fins prettier than yours just dying to get with you."

Adrien cast the black kwami a curious look. "Doubtful. Why would another siren be allowed to mate with me?"

"Is that not how it works?"

Adrien curled his nose. "No. I'll be paraded around like some… pretty trinket. All the female merrows will be swarming just to get a look at me, and I'll have to smile and pretend like I'm enjoying it."

"Wait, so…" Plagg twitched his head to the side thoughtfully, "it doesn't matter that you're a boy?"

"Why would me being a boy have anything to do with it?"

"That's just how humans are," Plagg explained, shrugging his tiny shoulders as he did. "It's their women that have to look pretty and pristine in order to be married off."

Adrien scowled. "Boy or girl doesn't matter. I'm a siren—a long-fin; a soft-fin. It's in the title—I'm _soft_. And pretty. And delicate. And _demure_. A fine prize for some warrior female to keep tucked away in her home to care for her eggs and prepare meals and, ugh, just… be bored for the rest of my life." Except when his wife was there, because he'd be expected to serve her and do as she said and submit himself both body and mind.

He didn't want to submit himself. He was…

Afraid.

"Huh, okay. I guess I get it," Plagg replied. "Well, can't you just refuse anyone you don't like?"

"No," Adrien muttered. "My father has already received three letters of purpose from upstanding families whose daughters are interested. They're all in line to be future mertriarchs. One of them might even end up leading the whole clan. It's a great 'honor' that such important merrows would be interested in me. It's because I'm so 'beautiful.' The perfect ornament for someone's home. If I refuse them all, it'll come off like I'm some stuck-up brat, which will diminish my prospects and could even hurt my father's reputation."

"Sounds like you're between a rock and a hard place, kid."

"I don't want to be mated…" What if he ended up with a wife that, while wealthy, was… cruel? He knew it happened, even if it wasn't much talked about. Sirens were expected to mind their mates. His wife would have the legal right to hurt him, even kill him if she so wanted. His life didn't mean anything more than the value of how pretty he could look beside her. And the number of both strong and beautiful babies he could provide.

Some sirens hardly ever left the home because they were constantly incubating eggs. Some weren't allowed to leave even if they weren't.

He'd be expected to consummate their union after he chose a mate. By doing so, he officially became his wife's responsibility. Her property. He'd be marked by her for life, both societally and physically.

Just like his mother had become his father's property.

And if he refused a mate, he'd inevitably end up homeless. When his father died, all his assets would go to the closest living merrow in their family, and Adrien would have nowhere safe to go.

"But you don't have a choice," Plagg determined.

"No, not really," Adrien agreed. Pushing himself up off the ground, he glided up through the water to his pod, which was nestled in the upper corner of the room. Curling up inside of it, he set his focus on the thin windows on the opposite side of the room, which gave him a view of the city beyond. It glittered this late in the evening, aglow with the hazy blue light of blooming crystals.

"You must have some freedom," Plagg said as he swam up beside him. "You found me in that ship wreck."

"Sneaking out in the middle of the night once every few weeks isn't freedom."

"True…"

Popping his lips, Adrien created a small bubble, which he then used his finger to carefully push up toward the top lip of his pod. The pod itself curled around and above him, creating a soft sort of indent where he'd been gathering bubbles for some time. While archaic in modern day, sirens had once created attractive bubble nests in order to draw in mates. Adrien was expected to be good at the skill despite its uselessness, and so he'd been creating a patch of bubbles all his own for about a weak.

Well, longer than that, really, but every few days he got frustrated at the sight and destroyed them all.

"You're going out later tonight, right?" Plagg asked.

"I want to." It could be the last night he'd ever get to leave the city. His father was oftentimes away on "business," and so it was his assistant Nathalie—another short-finned merrow—that was tasked with keeping watch over him. But merrows weren't exactly known for their child rearing abilities. So long as Adrien minded his business, she didn't much care what he was doing. Which made it easy to sneak out once he'd pretended to go to bed.

His father was home as of that night, which made the whole ordeal riskier. Yet, given the circumstances, it seemed a risk worth taking.

Just a little longer and he'd head out. It'd be strange seeing a siren out alone this late at night, so he had to wait until most of the mer-folk in the nearby homes had retired to bed. But once out of the house, it didn't take him long to reach the outskirts of the city. His father being a recluse that didn't like to be near too many others had some advantages in that respect.

"Do you… plan on taking Pollen and I to the surface?" Plagg asked.

Adrien frowned. "I told you, I've never been to the surface."

"But if you're mated, you might never get the chance again."

A reminder that Adrien didn't appreciate. He hadn't known Plagg long—he'd only found the ring that housed the kwami about a month beforehand—but he'd become somewhat protective of his secret treasure. He didn't want to give up his miraculous, even if it wasn't really meant for him to have.

"Listen, kid, I don't mind being down here," Plagg continued. "Aside from the fact that you don't have cheese, I can't really complain. But fact is, we don't belong down here. We weren't created for mer-folk."

"I know…"

"I like you, Adrien, and it's nice not having to worry about… all the things I'm supposed to be worrying about. But if I don't get back to the surface, the whole of the human world could be turned upside-down."

Adrien managed a small grin. "We'd never know down here."

"While I appreciate that sentiment, my partner would have a different take on the matter."

"Your partner, huh? Who's that?"

"Don't change the subject."

Adrien sighed. "I'll try, I guess. But… like I said, I've never been to the surface. We're not supposed to. It's dangerous."

"I didn't think you were the type that'd balk at the idea of danger."

Adrien cast him a flat look, before deciding they'd waited long enough. "C'mon," he said, beckoning to the little kwami as he swam toward the top of his bedroom. "Chloe won't wait forever."

It wasn't exactly hard to sneak out of his room. It was expected that he'd never do such a thing, so it wasn't as though he'd ever been locked in. All he had to do was shift the cover to his sunning window aside—a large, circular opening that usually had a smooth slab of stone fitted inside it—and swim out.

It took him less than a minute to do so, his tail curling close to his body as he slid the stone back into place. He wanted to keep as low a profile as possible, knowing his bright colors could catch even the dim light of the blooming crystals and give him away.

Securing the stone in place, he was soon slinking down the back side of his father's multi-teared mansion, it's many rounded, stone roofs providing him adequate cover as he ducked in and out of the shadows. A few of the windows were aglow with crystals—namely his father's study—and so he actively avoided swimming nearer to those.

Soon enough, he was headed along the ocean floor just beyond the mansion. As quickly as he could, he swam into the garden of colorful anemones, which would hopefully shield his shimmering tail from anyone watching.

It was once he was through the garden and on the other side that he felt a bit of relief. His father truly did live right on the outside of the city. All he had to do was swim up the steep side of a shadowed cliff and he'd be out of the gorge where the city was generally hidden from anyone that might bother coming this deep down into the waves. At the very top of the cliff was a stretching shield of coral, which he carefully maneuvered his way through before finally coming up and out "into the open," so to speak.

"Took you long enough!" Chloe hissed as soon as he shimmied his way into sight, checking only quickly to make sure he hadn't scratched himself on the sharp coral.

She was laying down upon some bare sand between reefs, her blue eyes glaring as Adrien came to hover above her. Much the same as him, she was a siren. A beautiful siren, much as he was. Long blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders, her frame thin and lithe as was to be expected. Her shimmering yellow tail was nearly as long as his own, though she possessed only one set of pelvic fins. They were yellow, to match her tail, while her fibular fins started out yellow and faded to a deep, dark blue at their ends. To match her tail, which shimmered with hints of green and yellow despite its dark blue hue.

"I'm here at our regular time," Adrien said calmly, not bothered by Chloe's shortness of attitude. They'd grown up together, being from the same social class. She was the daughter of the current clan leader.

"Always making me wait," Chloe continued, puffing the sand into a cloud as she temperamentally pushed herself up into the water beside him. "You're lucky we've been friends for so long, else I'd be more offended."

"I suppose you're right," he agreed, beginning to swim further away from the cliff edge, Chloe soon falling in beside him.

"Good evening, Adrien." It was another kwami that greeted him, this one with blue eyes, a bright yellow body, and black stripes all over. She also possessed a scarf of yellow fur around her neck and two black antennae, which reminded Adrien of some of the fish that swam around at the bottom of the gorge.

"Hello, Pollen," Adrien replied, happy to throw the tiny kwami a smile. Pollen formed from the comb miraculous Adrien had found alongside his ring. Supposedly, the comb resembled a "bee," which was a land creature of some kind. But much like cats, Adrien had never seen a bee before and so couldn't verify.

She belonged to Chloe for the time being, as she'd claimed the comb when they'd come across it while investigating a ship wreck the month prior.

"Please don't tell me we're going too far out," Chloe was soon complaining. "I'm already tired and you should be getting your beauty sleep. You can't look all puffy tomorrow for your mating ceremony."

Adrien shrugged. "I don't really care about that. Besides, we have to go somewhat far. We have to get Plagg and Pollen to the surface."

A statement that had Chloe coming to an abrupt stop.

"What?" she asked, her expression having dropped into unease.

"Once I'm mated, we don't know what could happen," Adrien reasoned, turning back to her as he did. "I might never be allowed out again. We have to get them to the surface while we can."

"Or we could just _not_ do that," Chloe rebuked smartly.

Adrien cast her a disapproving frown.

"Clearly the humans aren't looking for them. Why does it matter?"

"They don't belong here, Chlo."

"The surface is dangerous. What if there are humans up there? Or a ship? Do you know what humans do to mermaids like us? They'll catch us and string us up for our fins."

Adrien rolled his eyes. "That's all just children's stories to scare us."

"How do you know?" she asked, following him as he continued on despite her protests. "You've never been there. You've never seen it. There's a reason no one is allowed to go to the surface. We're mermaids—we don't have any reason to go up there."

"I'd like to see it," Adrien admitted. "It'd even be interesting if we were able to spot a human or two."

"Adrien!"

"I'm just kidding. Now, come on."

Despite her misgivings, Chloe continued, the two of them swimming on for some time. Until they were far enough away that even when they swam upward, into the expanse of open ocean, no one would be able to see them from the city.

"I don't know about this," Chloe said as they came to a slow stop, their attention trained up toward the surface. Truth be told, they really weren't all that far away. Perhaps two-thousand feet or so. Mermaids required sunlight to live, just as humans did, even if it was considerably less. Their city had to be within decent range of the surface as a result, even if it was well-hidden beneath a crown of coral.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," Adrien reasoned. "Just look—no ships, hardly any fish." Just the vague shimmer of the moon far, far above their heads.

"But what if a ship is nearby?" she asked, sinking down into the sand as she did. Her yellow tail curled protectively around her body, giving away the height of her anxiety. "How fast do they go? What if we can't get away?"

Releasing a light sigh, Adrien sank down beside her, curling his tail around her own comfortingly. "You don't have to go if you don't want. I'll take the miraculouses up to the surface myself."

Curling her nose, she cast him a rather dubious look. "Alone? Why in the world would that be better? Or safer?"

He shrugged. "I didn't say it would be, but…" Looking up, he turned his attention to the surface again. "Who knows what could happen after tomorrow. I don't know, I guess… I guess I want to see it."

"See what?"

"Just… anything, really. The sky, the moon. The sun. I may never get the chance to see anything again after tomorrow."

Chloe frowned. "Do you really think your mate will be that bad?"

"Perhaps. I don't want to be what they think I should be. I just want…"

He couldn't articulate exactly what he was feeling, but Chloe seemed to understand nonetheless. Even if she wasn't dreading her future as much as he was, she knew his anxiety. Many other sirens did.

"You've got to have some good prospects," she reasoned. "They can't all be bad."

"There are three already trying to get ahead with my father," Adrien replied. "They've sent letters, and even gifts." He almost laughed. "And not a single one of them bothered to get in contact with me directly."

"Who were they?"

"I don't know. I didn't ask." It wouldn't make a difference anyway.

"I bet one of them was the Rossi family," Chloe said flatly. "Lila's been all over you for months. I get so tired of her hanging around every time we try to go anywhere."

Adrien hummed in agreement.

Lila Rossi was a high class warrior merrow. Her parents were well-respected border commanders and close friends with Chloe's father. She was popular, strong, and was already well-respected among the guard despite her young age.

Personally, Adrien didn't much like her. She was pushy and altogether too forward, and didn't think too highly of sirens in general, based on her attitude toward others outside of him.

"There'll be someone better," Chloe decided firmly. "You'll see. It'll all come together in the end." Taking a huffing breath, she apparently settled her nerves before reaching out and taking Adrien's arm. Together, they started to head upward, remaining close as they kept their focus on the glaring light above.

It was only when the ripples upon the surface began to come clearly into view that the two of them slowed, Chloe once again becoming uneasy as Adrien peered critically through the water, looking for any possible threat. Outside of the occasional wandering fish, however, there was little worth taking note of.

"C'mon," Adrien encouraged quietly. "We're almost there."

Nodding, Chloe stuck right beside him as they closed the remaining distance, Adrien hovering only a moment just below the surface before clenching his fists and thrusting himself up out of the water.

The night air was shocking. Cold and brisk, it was somehow sharper than breathing air through the water. His gills fanned as he took a deep breath, unaccustomed to such dryness. Though it was dark, the glare of the moon was sharp and intense, both Adrien and Chloe shying away as they blinked, attempting to adjust.

For a moment, Adrien was certain his throat was burning, his mouth feeling all too dry. He nearly dove back under. But the longer he remained above the surface, the easier it became. Until he was able to blink away the harsh light, his eyes adapting as he reached up and pushed his hair out of the way.

"What are those?" Chloe asked, Adrien following her gaze upward to the night sky.

It was steady and smooth, the moon round and bright against the blackness of the heavens. And all around it, tiny lights sparkled, twisting and twirling in unending patterns that Adrien couldn't even begin to follow.

"They're stars," he eventually realized, a grin spreading across his lips in the same moment. "Like in the old stories."

"They're so much smaller than I'd always imagined."

"They're beautiful."

For some moments, they simply floated, taking in the sky they'd never seen and likely never would again. Until, finally, Adrien's gaze fell to the horizon.

"I don't see any land," he eventually said.

"We're too far away," Plagg explained, having settled onto Adrien's shoulder.

"Well, how much further is it?" Chloe asked shortly.

Plagg threw her a glare. "How would I know?"

She growled.

"Which direction do we go?" Adrien found himself asking, though the question was more for himself than the others. Twisting in place, he tried to get some kind of idea, but the ocean stretched on for miles in every direction.

"What's that?" It was Pollen who asked, the other three looking ahead at where she was pointing her tiny paw.

Squinting, Adrien could just barely see it. A shadowed silhouette bobbing up and down upon the waves.

"Adrien." Clinging to him, Chloe crowded close. "That's a ship. We should leave. Now."

"It's so far away we can barely see it," he reasoned, attempted to squirm a bit out of her hold. "Besides, a ship means we can find land. It had to have come from somewhere, or is going somewhere, right? If we follow it, maybe—"

"_Follow_ it?" Chloe baulked. "Adrien, what are you thinking?!"

"We don't have to get close. Besides, humans have poor eyesight at night. They'll never see us." He was trying to pull away, Chloe's well-sharpened claws digging more deeply into his arm as a result. "C'mon, before we lose sight of it."

"Adrien, no!" Chloe begged. "Let's just go back!"

"We have to get Plagg and Pollen to shore." Finally yanking his arm from her hold, he swam a bit in the direction of the ship. "It'll be alright."

Turning, he tried to cast Chloe a reassuring smile, but she just shook her head.

"I promise it'll be okay, Chlo." He held out his hand to her. "You'll see."

For a moment, it looked like she might reach out, but her nerves inevitably got the better of her. Shaking her head, she pushed back in the water before diving back under, taking the bee comb with her.

"Chloe!" Adrien called, ducking back under as well. But she was already swimming down the way they'd come, her yellow tail dimming as the shadows closed in around her.

For a moment, Adrien hung in the water, uncertain what to do. He watched Chloe until she disappeared, before turning to look in the direction of the ship.

If he didn't follow it then, he could lose track of it. And then he'd never find land.

Gritting his teeth in resolve, he burst back up above the water, looking again to the horizon where he could see the shadow drifting further away. Satisfied he knew what direction he needed to head in, he slipped back beneath the surface and took off through the water.

It was a long, strenuous journey from then on. Not wanting to lose track of the ship, he swam as fast and hard as he could, occasionally vaulting up out of the water and back in so he could make sure the ship was still there. The hours wore on, the ship only seeming to grow minutely closer all the while. He was beginning to feel a bit tired, but was thankful he'd always retained an active lifestyle.

It was probably a good thing Chloe hadn't come—she wouldn't have been able to keep up.

It was well into his third hour of travel that the sky to his right began to lighten. Which unnerved him slightly, but didn't deter him. And he grew only more determined when he finally spotted a strip of what must have been shore bulging up out of the water.

The ship was closer now—so close that he could see spikes protruding up out of it, creating "T" shapes with what looked like giant fins hanging down to catch the wind.

Supposing that was quite close enough, he monitored his speed, keeping an eye on both the ship and the land as it grew nearer.

Soon, he could see that the land was, in fact, a striking line of cliffs, water splashing violently at their bases. The ship seemed to be headed directly for them, which Adrien thought rather strange. The ship couldn't reasonably go through the cliffs, could it? Maybe it could fly over them?

Curious despite the danger, he decided to swim yet closer. Soon enough, the ship was gliding through alcove and disappearing behind a rocky outcropping. Which didn't help Adrien any. He couldn't just leave Plagg close to the shore—he had to get him _to_ shore. Certainly the ship was somehow accessing the land, but he couldn't know how if he couldn't see it.

Careful as he approached, he kept himself mostly below the water as he swam, only keeping his head up enough to be able to see over the water's surface.

Soon enough, he was approaching the alcove, his heart beating faster as the looming shadows stretched out to meet him. The sky was bright with the early morning now, the sun warming every surface it touched. It was almost so bright it was painful, but Adrien kept going nonetheless.

Careful to be as quiet as possible, he slowly swam around the rocks into the alcove, only to come to a startled stop once he was around the bend.

The ship was right there in front of him. It'd halted in the water, sheltered beneath the cliffs like a fish hiding at the base of some seaweed. And for a moment, Adrien's nerves nearly got the better of him. He almost turned tail and swam away as fast as he could.

But his curiosity proved to be more powerful, causing him to gape some when activity upon the ship became visible. He could hear voices—human voices—and see their silhouettes moving about upon the ship. There weren't many of them.

Maybe, if he could reach the ship, he could leave his ring on it. That was kind of like reaching the shore, right? There had to be a place he could safely stash it.

Ducking down beneath the water, he approached the ship from underneath, which seemed to make it appear all the larger. It was a bulging, dirty thing, covered in barnacles and other sharp bits that he'd have to steer clear of. He wasn't sure what it was made from—some brown material that was clearly discolored. He swam up and down the length of it, and then completely around it (at a distance, of course), hoping he'd spot some place to leave the ring. But there was nowhere safe. If he simply left it in a batch of barnacles, the humans would never find it. And then it'd likely be lost at sea again.

Gathering his courage, Adrien swam a little closer to the surface, until he could just vaguely see through the water to the inclining sides of the ship above.

Just as something came crashing down into the water on top of him.

Surging back in surprise, Adrien shook himself, realizing quite quickly that an entire barrel of discarded fish remains had just been dumped on top of him. Picking off the pieces that had stuck, he curled his lip and swam a bit further down the length of the ship.

It was only when he stopped again that he realized the voices upon the ship had grown louder.

Peering up through the water, he felt his skin grow cold at the sight of one of the humans jogging down the length of the ship, pointing down at the water—at him—as they did.

He should leave. He knew he should.

What was the humans saying, he wondered.

Despite every warning sign, Adrien slowly turned his head on its side, just enough that he could raise one ear above the surface.

"Oh my god, look at that…" The human was speaking. And, oddly enough, Adrien could understand him. They spoke the same language? There seemed to be a slight accent difference, but it was still easy for him to catch every word. "I can't believe I'm seeing this."

Supposing there was no reason to pretend as though he hadn't been seen, Adrien turned his head until his eyes were above the surface again. He then quickly narrowed them into a glare as he stared up at the human.

"Hey, there," the human continued, waving weakly at him as he did.

It was indeed a human male. He had short, brown hair, and browned skin. Though Adrien couldn't be sure, he decided that whatever was covering the human from the neck down had to be clothing of some kind. Like Chloe's thin shawls, though much heavier and of sturdier make. He wore a blue tunic from the throat down with white sleeves. That was the extent of what Adrien could see, as the ship's edge got in the way of the rest.

"Hey, did you follow us here?" the human asked. Adrien refused to answer, instead remaining exactly where he was. "It's okay, I won't hurt you."

Adrien did _not_ believe him.

Reaching down, the man rubbed his fingers together, as if trying to beckon Adrien closer as one would a pet fish. "Come here, Catfish. It's okay."

"What the hell are you doing, Nino?" Another voice came up behind the first human, Adrien slinking back a bit as a result.

"Look, Alya! Look!" The first human was pointing down at him again, clearly excited as his comrade came up beside him.

She was far more intimidating than the man in blue. She glared down at Adrien through one amber eye, the other covered in a patch. Her long dreadlocks were pulled back in a high ponytail, the loose ends fading from dark brown to white at their tips. She was wearing some kind of orange colored vest with white linen underneath. A single orange necklace hung around her neck, shaped like a hollowed bubble with a pointed tip.

"Well, I'll be damned," she said, leaning forward over the edge of the ship in order to get a better look at him.

"It must have followed us in here," the first human—Nino—explained. "It has to be a real mermaid, right? Look at its ears!" He held his hands out from either side of his head in a pointed fashion, as if mimicking the shape of Adrien's long, pointed ears. "Man, what Luka wouldn't give to see this."

The other human—Alya—grinned, but it wasn't the sort of grin Adrien liked all that well.

"We should catch it," she decided a second later.

Adrien darted even further back.

"Don't scare it, Alya!" Nino said sharply, appearing quite disheartened as he looked back at Adrien. "We're not going to catch you," he guaranteed. "Don't listen to her—she's out of her mind."

"Hey!"

"We promise not to hurt you if you come here." Once again, he held his hand down as if beckoning to some sort of daft animal.

Not appreciating the gesture, nor the other human's attitude—and confident that he could get away from them at his distance—Adrien dared raise his head fully up out of the water, a disapproving frown pulling at his lips as he eyed them.

Nino gaped. "Wow…"

"Hey, Cap! Come look at this!" Alya had turned, seemingly calling to another on board. The thought of even more humans made Adrien nervous, and he nearly dove back down into the water and swam away. But before he could, another appeared at the edge of the ship.

The sight of her had Adrien freezing, his own lips parting in wonder.

She wasn't a large, intimidating woman. Not in stature anyway. Yet she seemed to exude confidence nonetheless. She wore a long, red coat, the front of it decorated with all sorts of ties and buttons.

Her own gaze caught Adrien's, her vibrant blue eyes widening as her red-tinted lips parted in much the same way his had. Reaching up, she removed the strange, triangle-shaped hat that was sitting on her head, instead holding it against her chest as she watched him.

She had lovely, long hair—black, but sparkling with purple and blue in the morning sunlight. It contrasted with her pale complexion, seeming to bring out the color of her eyes all the more.

Around those very eyes appeared to be a mask of some sort. Adrien couldn't tell if it was a natural feature or not, the red that stretched from one side of her face to the other, black spots interspersed throughout.

He also found that he didn't much care one way or another.

Rather, he decided that she was absolutely beautiful.

"It's a mermaid," Nino said again, sounding all the more excited.

"That's a siren," the red woman corrected, her voice clear in the same way the air had been when he'd first breached the water. "You can tell by his ears. They're fanned, like fins."

"Aren't they all the same?" Alya asked.

"Sirens are far rarer than the other variety," the red woman corrected. Setting her hat down on the edge of the ship, her gaze turned curious. "What are you doing so far from home, pretty one? It'd dangerous, being this close to shore."

Clamping his mouth shut, Adrien found himself quite caught up in her gaze. His heart was pounding hard in his chest, his skin tingling from his fingers down through the tip of his tail. Despite himself, he drifted a bit closer, if only to get a better look at her.

"Don't come closer," she warned. "You shouldn't be curious about humans. Go home. You'll only get hurt if you stay here."

"Or worse," Alya tacked on.

But he didn't want to leave.

The red woman—apparently dissatisfied with his reaction—released a short sigh, before she pulled something from her hip. It was some kind of red, spotted circle. Not that Adrien got a very good look at it. A moment later, it was snapping out into the water in front of him, the splash startling him backwards.

"I could catch you in seconds," the red woman lectured. "Now get out of here!"

She snapped the circle back out again, Adrien finally overcoming his awe enough to dive into the water. Darting downward, he turned to look up just as the weapon was retracting. For only a split second, he considered staying, but then common sense finally got the better of him.

She'd said she could catch him, which was warning enough. Despite how his heart dropped down into his stomach, he lingered only a second longer before he turned tail and glided deeper into the water, swimming back the way he'd come.


	2. Chapter 2

"Adrien."

Startling awake, Adrien turned over from where he'd been tucked away in the back of his pod. Floating outside was his father, and he looked none too pleased by the fact that it was early afternoon and Adrien was still asleep. Little did his father know that he'd only just returned some three hours prior, having spent a majority of the morning swimming all the way back to the city.

"Yes, Father," he said as he stretched, yawning once as he rubbed his eyes.

"Your mating ceremony is tonight," he said as he crossed his arms over his broad chest. "I would think you'd be a little more alert given today's importance."

Shrugging, Adrien slinked down out of his pod, generally attempting to avoid his father. But, alas, Gabriel grabbed him by the shoulder before he could get away.

"I realize that everyone in the city thinks you're the perfect siren, but this sort of inattentive attitude will not be acceptable to your future mate."

Frowning, Adrien turned to meet his father's cold gaze, uncertain what he was expected to say. While he was perfect in public, he knew both Nathalie and his father were aware that he was not the least bit enthused about the prospect of a mate. Yet, being the prime merrow that his father was, he had little sympathy for Adrien's situation.

While Gabriel wasn't a warrior and never had been, he was still well-respected amongst their social circles. He was a businessmer and an explorer. A merchant. He couldn't be soft to lead that sort of life. That he was a broad, intimidating figure only defended his position as an upstanding merrow, even if he didn't participate socially as often as most. His severe countenance was only accented by his sleek, gray tale and white underbelly, which were shorter than Adrien's—as all merrows' tales were—and lacked the showy layers in favor of a sharp, duel lobed caudal fin.

There was all the more pressure on Adrien to be the perfect siren as a result. His mother and father had once been a perfectly suited couple, or so he'd heard. His mother's death had been a tragedy, and now he had to live both for himself and for her. Everyone expected him to be her, to be the example for the family as the only child they'd been able to conceive. He was no proud, warrior merrow, but if he mated well, that would be the best he could do.

"Nor will your lackluster enthusiasm," Gabriel finished.

"I don't want to be mated, Father," Adrien said quietly.

"What would you rather have happen?" Gabriel asked, finally releasing his arm. Adrien sank to the ground a moment later, his father remaining domineeringly above him. "It's time to grow up and take your place in society. I can't protect you forever, but a good wife with suitable breeding can."

"I can protect myself," Adrien dared to mutter.

"Because you pretend at sword training? You've never practiced outside this house, and even then, you have no natural defenses. We all have to live our lives as the world dictates, Adrien, and I won't watch you put yourself in danger because you're unwilling to accept that. Now, get ready for the ceremony. Chloe Bourgeois is already here to assist you."

Apparently deeming the conversation over, he swam over Adrien's head and right out the door, deeming it appropriate to leave his only son nearly crying on the floor. Or so Adrien told himself, before taking a forceful breath and burying his emotions back in a hole where they belonged.

A few moments later, he heard the familiar swishing of Chloe's tail through the water. She was accompanied by one other, her bodyguard and friend, Sabrina.

Sabrina was a merrow, but she wasn't wholly suited to warrior life, not with her thin tail and shimmering silver color. She was quite common looking for lower-ranking merrow, hardly standing out. Her position as a siren's bodyguard was a low one, but she didn't seem to mind.

Turning to face them, Adrien cleared his expression of his previous misery in favor of a small smile. "Hey, Chlo," he said, noticing how relieved she appeared at the sight of him. "Hello, Sabrina."

"Hello, Adrien." Sabrina smiled brightly in return, not the least bit aware of why Adrien wasn't as excited about the ceremony as nearly everyone else. "Chloe said you'd need help getting ready. I may be a merrow, but I've helped Chloe get ready plenty of times."

"Thanks, Sabrina, I appreciate that."

"You look terrible," Chloe said then, curling her lip some as she circled him, as if evaluating what she had to work with. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

Adrien knew she was asking facetiously, but he answered honestly nonetheless. "Not really. I was up nearly all night." An innocent comment that anyone who didn't know any better would think stemmed from nerves, but by the way Chloe's complexion paled, she knew exactly what he meant.

"Do us a favor, won't you, Sabrina?" she said a moment later. "Go to Nathalie and fetch some of Aunt Emilie's old jewelry. I fear Adrien may require as much as possible, if we're to draw attention from the splotchiness of his skin."

"Certainly, Chloe." Bowing her head lightly, Sabrina was soon swimming back out the door, leaving Adrien to bear Chloe's critical gaze.

"What did you do last night?" she hissed out a moment later, sinking down so she could look Adrien square in the eyes.

"I followed that ship," he admitted easily enough. "All the way to land."

Eyes narrowing, Chloe grabbed his hand to have a look at his finger, which was still sporting his silver ring.

"I didn't get the chance to leave it anywhere," he admitted. "But I did see some humans."

Chloe's eyes bulged.

Adrien, meanwhile, was finding himself getting quite excited over the whole experience. "I swam up to their ship, to see if there was a place I could leave the ring, and I was close enough that I could hear their voices and see their faces."

"Adrien!" Chloe hissed out, grabbing his arm as tightly as she did. "What's wrong with you? What if they'd seen you?!"

Flicking his gaze from hers, he looked pointedly at his reflection in the mirror nearby.

Chloe's claws dug into his arm. "Did they _see_ you?"

"They didn't do anything to me," he defended.

"Adrien!" Flitting away, Chloe swam in a pacing circle before dropping down in front of him again. "Don't you understand how dangerous they are? What if they'd decided to capture you? Or worse? Do you want to end up like Kagami did? Dead because of your own stupidity?"

Adrien cast her a disapproving look, yet couldn't come up with much in the way of a defense. As far as the mer-folk were concerned, Kagami had gone missing the night before her mating ceremony and never been found again because she'd been captured by humans. And while she was, indeed, gone, Adrien would wager she'd less "gone missing" and more than likely run away. While Kagami had been quite a few years older than him, she'd been his playmate for many years. They'd spent days playing at swords in the back garden, honing their abilities to the best of their knowledge despite everyone else's unwillingness to help. Even Chloe had joined in on occasion, though she'd never much approved of their practice.

And much like Adrien, she'd been less than keen on the idea of mating, albeit more vocal in her objections.

But as of those days, Kagami was a cautionary tale. An example used to warn others of the dangers of humans.

"You weren't there," Adrien eventually said. "They never tried to do anything to me. Did you know we speak the same language as humans do? I could understand them. And they seemed more interested in getting me to leave than they were in capturing me."

"It could have been a ruse," Chloe argued. "Humans are foul—they could have been trying to trick you."

"I don't see how. Besides…" He smiled a bit to himself. "One of them was quite beautiful."

Chloe cast him the flattest, most unimpressed look he'd ever seen.

"I think she was the one in charge of the ship," he continued, not much caring what she thought. "One of the others called her 'cap,' like captain. She knew what sirens were, and that I was one." And she'd called him a 'pretty thing,' which he didn't mind coming from someone he thought was also quite lovely.

"Adrien, what's wrong with you?" Chloe said a second later. "You can't go getting involved with humans! They're _dangerous_!"

"Not any more dangerous than merrows," he countered coldly.

"Now you're just being ridiculous."

"I'm not. I'm—"

His defense was cut short a moment later, when Sabrina came swimming back, her arms loaded with golden jewelry. The subject of his previous escapades was dropped as a result, all focus put on preparing him for the ceremony.

It should have been his mother getting him ready, as the parental siren in his family. But as she was gone, help from a close friend would have to be good enough. Chloe scrubbed him clean as carefully as she could, she helped clean out the crevices of his fins, and she sharpened his claws into fine, elegant points. She then used a pale, light green body paint to carefully decorate his skin. Curved stripes accented his hips. An elegant line was drawn up from his bellybutton, up through the center of his chest, and branched out around his shoulders. She placed perfect, tiny circles at the base of the line and at either side as it branched off, as well as in a sweeping design beneath his eyes. A small mark was drawn down from the bottom of his mouth, to draw attention to his lips.

Once she finished there, she took altogether too much time to decide the jewelry he'd wear. She ultimately declared that he didn't need much—not with his naturally golden fins and tail, which no jewelry could rival ("much like my own tail, of course"). A simple chain and necklace around his neck, bangles for his wrists, and a plethora of rings to adorn his fingers.

Satisfied that no one but herself could rival his beauty, she then went about decorating herself in much the same way, only with blue accents and a bit more jewelry. By the time she was done, it was nearly time for them to be leaving, which did—admittedly—have Adrien's nerves a bit twisted.

Despite the fact that he'd known this was coming his whole life, it now seemed to be upon him far too quickly. So quickly that it became difficult to keep track of time. He hardly noticed when his father and Nathalie came to fetch them, looking him over approvingly before announcing that guests were beginning to arrive. He followed them out shortly after. Wrapping his hand far too tightly around Chloe's arm, he kept her close the entire way.

His father had hosted plenty of parties, whether he found much joy in them or not. It was expected, given his status, and they had a large atrium at the center of the house for such occasions. Lined with stone columns, it was open to the ocean and bordered with a garden of only the prettiest flora—red algae, brilliantly colored reef, occasional anemones. The round floor was tiered, steps leading down into the center, where an intricately painted platform of swirling reds and purples awaited.

This was where Adrien was expected to put himself and stay for the duration of the party. It was called a ceremony—a debut—but all that was really involved was that he present himself as a fully matured siren for all in attendance. Everyone coming knew him and knew he'd just turned eighteen—they all knew what to expect. He was of mating age and, as a high-status, "beautiful" siren, would be expected to pick a mate within a few days, if not that very night. Perhaps others anticipated that he'd been thinking and fawning over potential mates for months in anticipation of this moment, but they couldn't be more wrong.

Yet, even so, he was expected to act his part. There was some applause and congratulatory smiles as he entered the atrium, which he returned with an understated smile of his own. A lot of notable mer-folk were already there—guard commanders, their mates, their children. Chloe's father was in attendance, as were quite a few notable tableteers (those who engraved and reported on events throughout the clan—they did so on replaceable tablets at the center of town. It was where any and all news was spread). Basically, any one of any import would be arriving.

But it wasn't the society that unnerved Adrien so much as it was how he was expected to behave throughout the night. Not only was he to remain at the center of the atrium for the duration of the party—so anyone and everyone could swim around, gawking and assessing him like a prized lobster—but he was expected to preen and display for potential mates he was "interested" in. Which involved a lot of fanning fins, flirty smiles, and—if he was certain of a mate—an exhibit of his "willingness" as a means of being totally "enraptured" despite how public the ceremony was.

He was "property," after all. Once he belonged to a mate, they would regulate his private life. But as nothing more than a siren, it was expected that he display his readiness as a means of flattering potential mates, even if such a thing would remain behind closed doors from that point on. It was because of his nature that this was expected—it was a show and he had to make it clear all that he had to offer—be it in beauty, in temperament, or in sexuality.

Thankfully, the notion of public arousal from sirens—while encouraged—was not required unless he was truly trying to impress a merrow in attendance. Yes, he had to greet certain merrows flirtatiously just by default of who they were, but if he kept himself restrained—if he looked as though he were weighing his options—then he could get through the ceremony without having made a decision at all. Which bought him at least a few more days.

And seeing as he was the "most desired" siren of his generation, he could get away with being coy.

He dragged Chloe down to the center of the atrium with him, despite that it would usually be frowned upon to have another siren taking up his spotlight. But seeing as Adrien wasn't in dire need of mating proposals, he wasn't worried about Chloe detracting from his appeal. In fact, he hoped she would. The less attention on him, the happier he'd be.

"You need to calm down," Chloe said rather strictly as they floated some just above the center of the atrium. Yet, despite how he agreed, Adrien couldn't fight back on the anxiety plaguing his entire body. It was like every eye in the atrium was looking down on him, watching every move he made. Which wasn't so usual, really, but as of that moment, every action he'd ever made and word he'd ever spoke was cascading down atop him. He stood on the tip of a pin, his entire future riding on the outcome of that night.

It was too much.

And when a few female merrows—those wearing dark bangels, which symbolized their availability—began to circle him, clearing giving him appraising looks, Adrien wanted to do nothing more than swim away into the garden and hide.

"Adrien!" Chloe hissed. "You look like you just got chased by a shark. Would you fan out your fins?!"

She was right. He'd curled up on himself as the merrows had approached, his fins folding in and lying flat. That everyone else was staring on, speaking to each other in low voices, didn't help.

He felt like he was trapped with absolutely no one willing to help him.

"_Adrien_!" Chloe hissed again.

Swallowing hard, he did his best to push back on his anxieties, forcing his fins to fan and his tail to uncurl. A few of the circling merrows chuckled, likely interpreting his behavior as shyness and not terror—though even if they did know he was scared, that probably wouldn't have deterred them.

"Hello, Adrien."

The sound of his name startled him, causing him to whip around only to see Lila closing in. She hovered some above him, a wide smile on her face as she swam right up into his personal space.

"Hey, Lila," he choked out, once again tightening his hold on Chloe's arm.

Lila was a prime merrow. Muscular arms and torso, long claws, and a hardened tail that was no doubt good for pushing her swiftly through the water. She had a tanned complexion, which faded to brown along her tail back. Dark brown stripes flowed down the back of her tail, while the underside was a creamy white. At the end of her tail was a sharply shaped caudal fin, which was divided into two lobes. She had two small pelvic fins as well, and a dorsal fin that protruded sharply from her lower back. She was a bit nicked around the edges—probably from skirmishes outside the city—but that was considered a desirable trait among merrows.

The smile she was throwing his way was a bit too suggestive, her green eyes looking him blatantly up and down. Long, brown hair stretched all the way along her back, the very end braided to hold it in place, and her sharply cut bangs made her expression appear all the more intense.

"You look a little overwhelmed," she commented, pushing herself even closer. "I'm glad I could be here. It's probably better for you, seeing a familiar face."

"Oh, yes, of course," Adrien replied, offering her a small smile of his own.

"You're so cute," she said a moment later, reaching out to touch the tip of his nose with her finger. "I'll be glad when all of this is over, because then I'll have you all to myself."

Her comment had his skin crawling, while Chloe gaped a bit in disgust beside him. It was a very forward remark, after all. Yes, he was expected to choose a mate, but that choice was still his own. Even if she was just that confident in her chances, it was still an untoward sort of a thing to say.

"We'll see, Lila," Adrien replied civilly. "I'm still making up my mind, after all." He tried to sound playful, but he wasn't sure how well he succeeded.

"I bet you are," she said, once again swimming closer, until they were practically nose to nose. "Just be sure to make the _right_ decision. We wouldn't want any confusion on the matter, now would we?"

He couldn't tell if she was flirting with him or… threatening him.

"Whatever decision I make will be the right one for me, no doubt."

"I think both your father and I feel the same way," she replied, offering him one final, knowing smile before she turned and flitted off through the water.

Adrien, not understanding the implications behind her words, turned to stare up at his father, who was floating up near the top of the atrium. Yet, he appeared to be paying Adrien little to no attention, speaking instead with a group of politicians that Adrien had never been allowed to learn the least bit about.

"Don't let her get to you," Chloe murmured a moment later, snapping Adrien's attention back her way. "There are plenty of other merrows much more suited to you than Lila Rossi."

Smiling, Adrien attempted to be calmed by her words, but they did very little at putting him at ease. His performance was very poor as a result, as he found himself constantly ridden with apprehension as a result of his exchange with Lila. It wasn't helped by the fact that very few of the merrows showed honest interest him, which was both surprising and unsettling. Though they circled and cast him appraising look, very few dared approach in any intimate fashion.

They gazed at him as though he were a trinket far out of their reach, only three or four—who were, by far, the most elite of all the available merrows—bothered speaking to him for any great length of time, yet there was no actual intention in their words.

It left Adrien so twisted with nerves when the party ended some hours later that he was hardly able to make it out of the atrium. Chloe pulled him along beside her, until the quiet seclusion of the mansion was able to settle his thoughts.

He and Chloe ended up in his bedroom, Sabrina floating quietly nearby as Adrien paced in a circle.

"Something isn't right," he muttered, his stomach rolling with unease. He'd been to plenty of mating ceremonies, after all, and though it might have looked like what was to be expected from the outside, he knew things had not gone as would have been normal.

The way Chloe tightened her jaw and remained silent only proved his suspicions.

"I don't understand," he admitted quietly, sinking down into the center of the room. "It was like… like nobody took me seriously. Like we were simply rehearsing for the real ceremony or—or—"

"Adrien…" Chloe reached out toward him, as if she might comfort him despite sympathy not being one of strong suits, but was interrupted when a tall shadow fell across the blue light of the blooming crystals. They all snapped their attention around to the door, where Gabriel floated, his hand clasped behind his back.

"Chloe, Sabrina, it is late," he said coldly. "I believe it time you both returned home."

Clearly startled by his abrupt appearance, Chloe nodded before swimming over and grabbing Sabrina by the arm. Though she cast Adrien one final look, she couldn't stay. Without another word, she skirted past Gabriel as he moved aside, Sabrina trailing right behind.

Once they were out of the way, Gabriel pushed himself fully into the room.

Adrien slumped a bit lower upon the floor.

"You presented yourself very poorly today," Gabriel said stiffly, his gaze cold as he laid it directly upon Adrien.

"I was nervous," he admitted honestly.

"I didn't expect much better given that you have shown only distaste in relation to your mating."

Dropping his gaze to the floor, Adrien grit his teeth and stayed quiet.

"No matter," he continued. "I anticipated your lack of interest some months ago. Your mother was much the same, before her mating with me was arranged."

Snapping his gaze back up, Adrien gaped. "Arranged?"

"Yes, arranged," Gabriel agreed. "Your mother's inability to choose a mate as was fitting resulted in her mating being arranged. While it's an old practice, it is not wholly unheard of."

"Father—"

"Everyone has been watching you, Adrien. I was not the only one that anticipated you would be difficult to mate off. Your lack of interest in any merrows has forced me to consider other options."

Straightening, Adrien tried to come up with an objection, but none formed in his thoughts. While it wasn't often practiced, the head merrow in a family could both impede upon and arrange mates for those within their care. Mostly this was used to stop the mating of one mer to a mer beneath their social status. But it could also be a means of arranging a mating. And as Adrien belonged to his father until he submitted to a mate, it was well within his father's rights to mate him to someone _he_ chose, instead of who Adrien chose.

"I've told you time and again that mating is for your benefit. It will ensure that you're taken care of when I'm gone. Yet you have fought the idea at every turn." Gabriel paused, the silence between them heavy. "Three offers were made to me prior to your mating. All from suitable families whose daughters would be more than capable of caring for you in the future. And as you have shown no interest, I have simply defaulted to making the choice for you based on the most generous offer made to me." Not because he needed whatever they'd offered him, but because it gave him reason to make the choice.

Adrien had failed to choose his own shackles, and so Gabriel had sold him to the highest bidder.

Lila's comment during the ceremony abruptly made perfect sense.

"The Rossi family will be over tomorrow morning for the official send off," he replied. "The union ceremony will be performed the same as though you had picked Lila for yourself. You will then abandon your life here and start a new one alongside your wife."

"Father, wait!" Finally, Adrien's voice came to him. Desperately, he tried to come up with any way to stop the stone that was now rolling unhindered and out of his control. "I know I've been difficult, but I'll choose a mate of my own, I promise! I'll do it tomorrow! Please, just—"

"It's already done, Adrien," Gabriel replied, not seeming at all fazed by his son's pleading. "Lila Rossi is a fine merrow and will do well in keeping you safe and secure in the future. You will lead a life not unlike the one you have lived up till now, and there will be no concern over your future."

"But I—"

Gabriel sighed. "I realize you feel no affection for Lila Rossi, but you clearly feel no affection for any other merrow, so I'm failing to understand how this arrangement could be any different than whatever choice you could possibly make come tomorrow."

"Because I don't care for her at all! I actively dislike her!" Which was a far cry from being neutral.

His response seemed to displease his father all the more. "Mating is not always about affection, Adrien. Your mother felt little for me when we mated, but given time, came to feel as strongly about me as I did her. Lila clearly favors you despite the fact that you don't care for her, which is more than you likely deserve given the situation. In time, you will come to appreciate her. Perhaps you will even find some sentimentality, should you be willing to try.

"I will hear no further objections on the matter," he finally finished. "Ready what few belongings you wish to go with you—the morning will not wait."

Not even providing Adrien a moment to say anything, he turned on his fin and swam back out the way he'd come. He left Adrien wide-eyed and gaping, not a single care for the fact that he'd shattered his son's world as he'd known it.

All too quickly, hopeless despair overcame Adrien. He could hardly comprehend what he'd just learned, let alone somehow deal with it. While Lila had always been very obvious in her intentions toward him, he'd never fathomed that he'd mate with her, simply because he'd known from the beginning that he'd had no interest. She was pushy, demanding, and altogether too uncaring of those around her. Adrien had always found her too much of a braggart and too selfish.

Yet, now he had to entertain a life with her. His whole future would be wrapped up with this woman that he actively disliked. He'd have to live with her, and make a home with her, and create a family with her.

And as that thought occurred to him, Adrien somehow knew that she wouldn't respond well to being told "no" in any situation. He'd seen the way she'd looked at other sirens—like they were nothing. And while she'd always wanted him, it wasn't because she somehow thought him different. He was an object to be bought and to function as expected. That was all she wanted out of him and if he didn't deliver…

He didn't know what would happen.

"I get the feeling this whole ceremony thing didn't go too well," Plagg said, his voice somewhat subdued as he poked his head out of the decorated jar he'd been hiding in during the duration of the party. Startled by the sound of his voice, Adrien turned to the tiny kwami, who was casting him an uncomfortably sympathetic gaze.

"No," Adrien said weakly. "It didn't."

His whole body tingled with nerves, his emotions bloating inside of him despite how useless it was to express any sort of grief. His hands were shaking, his whole body beginning to echo with light trembles. And as he took a helpless look around the room—looking for solutions that weren't there—his gaze tripped across his reflection in the mirror.

Staring at it for a moment, he was soon pushing himself through the water, until he floated directly in front of it. Continuing to stare his reflection down, his gaze eventually turned to a glare before he reached up and began to violently scrub at the paint adorning his body. He rubbed and scratched and torn at it until it was completely gone—until his skin was glowing a harsh red as a result. He then tore all the golden jewelry away, throwing the chains, bangles, and rings aside.

Yet, even with none of the trappings of his station, the reality of his situation could not be undone. He was still trapped with a mate he didn't want, still victim to the expectations of his people.

Sinking back down before his mirror, he hunched and curled in on himself.

"I heard what you and your father were talking about," Plagg said some moments later, coming to float up beside Adrien. "Seems like you really are in a tight spot."

"A horrible spot, perhaps," Adrien replied quietly.

"Then why go through with it?" Plagg asked.

"I don't have a choice!"

Plagg appeared skeptical. "You always have a choice. It's just a manner of acting on it."

Turning to look at him, Adrien cast the tiny kwami a curious look.

"Just because other people say you don't have a choice," Plagg said knowingly, "doesn't mean you have to listen." The little kwami's slitted eyes pulled up toward the ceiling then, Adrien following his gaze to the sunning window, which was currently closed.

Suddenly, Kagami flitted through his thoughts. Everyone said she'd been captured. That humans were responsible for the fact that she'd been unable to come back once she'd returned to her senses. Yet Adrien had never truly believed such things. He'd never really known what to believe, not entirely.

Not until that very moment.

"You've done it before, plenty of times," Plagg murmured, now hovering close by his ear. "Why would tonight be any different?"

"But where would I go?" Adrien asked quietly.

"Anywhere you bloody well like."

Plagg was right, he could do it. No one would likely expect it of him, and so no one would be watching. Kagami had been a rare, isolated case after all, not what some would consider a precedent.

Not yet.

But if he did leave, it would mean leaving everything behind—his friends, his family. His home. Then again, was he not being forced to do that anyway? He had no way of knowing what Lila would do once they were mated. She could very well dictate that he never leave the house again.

As far as he could figure, either way was a risk. But if he was the one making the decisions, then at least he had some control. If things did end badly, he'd have no one to blame but himself. And at least he'll have tried, which was better than simply submitting to a life he didn't want.

Continuing to stare up at the sunning window, he felt his heart speed up in his chest. It was already late. If he wanted, he could leave then. Just swim right out and never come back. They'd look for him, of course, which meant he had to leave soon. Leave with enough hours left in the night for him to get out ahead of any search parties. And he'd have to go somewhere they'd never think to look for him.

Somewhere they'd never dare to go.

Unexpectedly, the red captain's pretty face flitted through his thoughts. If he stuck close to humans—to land—then he might be safer from his own people. They wouldn't come so close, not with humans posing such a terrible risk. Granted, it was a risk for him as well, but he'd done it the night before and everything had turned out fine.

Perhaps he could return to the same shore and follow it to a new place. A new sea that was far, far away from his home. He'd be alone, but even that seemed better than the alternative.

It was either that, or face the future everyone else had planned out for him.

He didn't want a life spent in the shadows of others that had decided to speak and act for him. He wanted his own life, no matter the risks that came along with it.

"C'mon, Plagg," he whispered a moment later, gathering his wits about him as best he could. "You still want to get to the surface, right?"

"That would be preferable, yes."

Staring hard at the sunning window, Adrien made up his mind.

"Then let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got to get some world-building done, but we'll get to the summary soon, I promise ;D

**Author's Note:**

> New story. One I've had outlined for years, but never got around to actually writing. It'll be a fun ride, trust me. Gonna be a long story too, with an epic storyline along the same idea as Serendipitous Fate (though perhaps not quite as long or as epic as that one, lol). 
> 
> It'll be updated earlier on different formats prior to AO3, so feel free to check out my tumblr or twitter (skaylanphear) for more information on that. 
> 
> Hope you guys are enjoying it so far!
> 
> Also, the awesome art is by salty-french-fry on tumblr <3


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